The Senate moved ahead with executive branch nominations, with a number of committees meeting without their Democratic members who were protesting. Sworn in were Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and cloture was invoked for the nominees to lead Treasury and Education, which will be more closely watched than others. The Senate also passed legislation to cancel the stream buffer rule, sending it to the President for signature. The House continued its work to undue a number of regulations approved by the Obama administration. Sec. 1504 of the Dodd-Frank Act directed the SEC to require public companies involved in the exploration, extraction, processing, and exportation of oil, natural gas, or minerals, to disclose certain payments made to foreign governments or the federal government. Another passed late in the previous term is the controversial "blacklisting rule". The blacklisting rule requires businesses to report violations or alleged violations of labor laws when it bids on a federal contract.

This Week

The House returns to continue its work attempting to undue regulations. Beginning with one relating to Bureau of Land Management establishing the procedures used to prepare, revise, or amend land use plans. In addition, a rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to accountability and State planning. As well as a rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to teacher preparation issues. The Senate is expected to vote on nominees to fill the Departments of Treasury, Justice, Health & Human Services and Education.

Item of Interest

Are you wondering if tax reform will mean the end of LIFO for your company? Do you have stories to share with your elected officials as it relates to the Affordable Care Act and how it's impacted your business? On June 14, ASA will be hosting its annual Legislative Fly-in, providing our members with the opportunity to visit face-to-face with their elected officials. By speaking with one voice, we are better able to advance issues that are important to our industry, such as tax reform, healthcare reform and investing in our workforce for the next generation. Be on the lookout for additional information and join us in Washington!

POLITICOOn Monday, the Trump administration made its first big move against overregulation, issuing an executive order requiring agencies to repeal two regulations for each new one they propose. The order also imposes a regulatory budget come Fiscal 2018, which would limit the amount of new regulatory costs agencies can impose on individuals and businesses each year.
These aren't new ideas. Policy wonks on the right and the left have advocated a regulatory budget for decades. READ MORE

The HillOutside groups are spending millions in the Senate battle over confirming Scott Pruitt, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
More than $3 million in spending and other actions on both sides are coming from nonprofit organizations that do not have to disclose their donors.
The Environmental Defense Action Fund has spent $1 million opposing Pruitt, while NextGen Climate Action, the group founded by billionaire activist Tom Steyer, says its ad bill is seven figures.READ MORE

POLITICORepublican efforts to overhaul the tax code for the first time in a generation are facing multiple challenges just two weeks into President Donald Trump's administration.
House Republicans thought they had hit the jackpot in November, when voters handed the GOP full control in Washington nearly five months after they had released a package to slash tax rates for both individuals and businesses.READ MORE

Roll CallRepublicans are ramping up their consideration of a controversial policy to reduce tax breaks for employer-sponsored health insurance, drawing increasing ire from a diverse coalition of business and labor groups.
The idea of scaling back the tax benefits for the more than 155 million people who get their coverage at work is generating so much concern that it has united those groups in staunch opposition. READ MORE